Tag Archive: Legumes

Lentil Salad with Beets, Apricots, Goat Cheese and Walnut-Balsamic Vinaigrette

August 5, 2013

During the summer I make many vegetarian salad dinners and because most people are so concerned about having a visible protein as part of every meal (I am not) I add a legume salad to appease the uninitiated (and also because I love legumes:). Lentils are wonderful legumes that pair well with many vegetables and dressings and are very easy to cook. For salads I prefer the smaller lentils, preferably the du Puy variety, because... View Article

Tali’s Mujadarah – Rice and Lentils with Fried Onion

July 29, 2013

My sister-in-law Tali is visiting from overseas and needless to say I put her to work in the kitchen preparing some of my favourite foods from Israel that she is an expert in making. Tali is a natural cook who knows instinctively what goes with what and how much of this or that to put in the dish. We have been having fun cooking in the kitchen for our group of 7 (vegetarian and non-vegetarians).... View Article

Fava beans and Peas Crostini

July 9, 2013

I have written about fava beans here so I will not repeat the information except to say that Fava beans are a special summer treat that requires a little work. Not only you have to remove the beans out of their comfortable, cushiony pod, but you also need to pop each individual bean out of its protective waxy shell. But , you have done more difficult things and I assure you your effort will be... View Article

Fava Beans

July 9, 2013

It seems that fava beans, also known as broad beans, are the less known variety of beans for home cooks. Several of my friends have never cooked them. This is unfortunate as fava beans are buttery-delicious and are readily available in farmers market in spring and summer. Fava and green pea crostini with goat cheese Maybe the problem is that fava beans are a little time consuming to prepare because you have to shell each... View Article

Cabbage and Potato Soup with White Beans and Herbs

June 25, 2013

To be honest, I seldom make a soup exactly the same twice. I tend to build a soup up from what I have in the fridge, what inspires me that day and of course, what I may be “in the mood for” at the time. This hearty yet not heavy soup makes a perfect complete dinner, nice when served with a crisp salad and crusty bread. One caveat: don’t use dried herbs. The aroma and... View Article

Lentil Soup with Cherry Tomatoes

October 4, 2012

I have been making lentil soups for as long as I have been cooking, mostly in variations on a theme. Lentil soup is “fast food” in my kitchen because it doesn’t take long to prepare. Unlike other legumes (think beans), lentils do not require soaking and take only about 30-45 minutes to cook. From start to finish you can probably have a hearty lentil soup ready in about an hour. It also keeps nicely in the... View Article

Lentil-Peach Salad with Lime-Agave Dressing

October 2, 2012

Last year while visiting the Mayan Riviera we had dinner at the famed Hartwood restaurant in Tulum. The restaurant became famous after Bon Apetit magazine did an article about the chef-owner and his wife (from NYC) and since then the line-ups to go into this no-reservation policy restaurant have been increasing as I believe have the prices. I was motivated to write a review of our experience at the restaurant and you can find it here... View Article

Burritos with Potatoes, Roasted Poblanos and Beans (vegan)

September 28, 2012

Burritos are such a nice food to prepare. You can make so many different fillings and simply wrap them in small or large flour tortillas and voila, lunch or dinner is ready. You don’t even need a salad because the greens can form part of the filling. These burritos are quite satisfying, with sautéed potatoes forming the main part of the filling. I make this dish dairy free and you can even make it fat... View Article

Rice and Lentils with Veggies

September 19, 2012

Mediterranean cuisine has a dish called Mujadarah where lentils and rice are cooked together and then topped with slow cooked caramelized onion. It’s delicious and I make it often. This is a spin on that recipe but I cook everything separately and then combine “stuff”  together. This way I can experiment and create different dishes from the basic rice and lentils. So today I am making the rice and lentils with cauliflower and carrots. Tomorrow... View Article

Quinoa and Red Lentil Cakes with Warm Cherry Tomatoes

August 26, 2012

Have you jumped on the quinoa bandwagon yet? It seems that every now and then a new trend takes over the culinary world and everyone starts cooking it. Quinoa looks like a grain but in fact it is a seed passed on to us through the ancient Inca culture. It’s known as the super seed and its claim to fame is the fact that it is gluten free and protein rich. In our protein crazed society... View Article

Lentil-Vegetable Burgers

July 14, 2012

Vegetarian burgers are standard on the menu here in the summer. I make a recipe and if not using all the burgers immediately I freeze them individually, well wrapped in plastic bags and pull them out as I need them. They reheat beautifully in a 375℉ oven or on a grill. I make them with cooked lentils and whatever vegetables I have on hand. For these burgers you need brown or greenish lentils that cook... View Article

Beluga Lentils with Spinach and Feta

June 13, 2012

Beluga lentils have middle east origin and have been an integral part of mediterranean cuisine for centuries. When cooked, the small black legumes become glossy and resemble the black caviar of the Beluga whales, hence their name. They cook perfectly, holding their shape and retaining a nice texture, not becoming a mush like their brown relatives. For this reason they work particularly well in salads, when you want to retain the texture. In terms of... View Article